What is the ruling on paying zakat on merchandise in place of zakat on money, even if the amount paid is more than the monetary value?
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The questioner: No hadith has been established regarding the zakat of lentils; is it permissible to pay the zakat of lentils in the form of lentils, which amounts to more than the zakat on money, instead of paying the zakat on money?
The Shaykh: The question is not clear.
The questioner: I mean, the zakat of lentils is not established in the Sunnah; is it permissible to pay the zakat of lentils from the lentils themselves, or to pay ...?
The Shaykh: How does zakat come out of something that is not subject to zakat? If the questioner wants to clarify his intention, let him please do so.
Another questioner: For example, with some wealth, the period in which the lunar year (hawl) completes is not known. Out of fear that the hawl has completed and zakat has become due, but this zakat has not been paid, we can pay—for example—a portion of the lentils in the form of zakat in place of the growth of the wealth whose zakat will not be paid ... .
The Shaykh: ... Do you have zakat due on the two currencies, for example?
Another questioner: Let us assume zakat is due on the wealth.
The Shaykh: Zakat on the wealth.
Another questioner: ... So if I am unable—for example—to know it, or its amount, or for the hawl to complete on it, out of fear that it has become due on me, I pay zakat from the lentils, which amounts to much more than the zakat on the wealth if my wealth increases; is the zakat compensated for by the lentils—for example—instead of the zakat on the wealth?
The Shaykh: No, it is obligatory for you to pay the zakat from the very item itself; that is, it is obligatory for you to pay the zakat of gold in gold, silver in silver, sheep in sheep, and cattle in cattle, unless the poor person chooses to sell his charity, in which case he sells it to someone other than you. As for you, you must pay from the very item subject to zakat. This method is not a valid discharge; that is, you want to pay merchandise in place of money.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh: This is your question in brief.
The questioner: Even if it is more, I mean.
The Shaykh: Even if it is more.
The Shaykh: The question is not clear.
The questioner: I mean, the zakat of lentils is not established in the Sunnah; is it permissible to pay the zakat of lentils from the lentils themselves, or to pay ...?
The Shaykh: How does zakat come out of something that is not subject to zakat? If the questioner wants to clarify his intention, let him please do so.
Another questioner: For example, with some wealth, the period in which the lunar year (hawl) completes is not known. Out of fear that the hawl has completed and zakat has become due, but this zakat has not been paid, we can pay—for example—a portion of the lentils in the form of zakat in place of the growth of the wealth whose zakat will not be paid ... .
The Shaykh: ... Do you have zakat due on the two currencies, for example?
Another questioner: Let us assume zakat is due on the wealth.
The Shaykh: Zakat on the wealth.
Another questioner: ... So if I am unable—for example—to know it, or its amount, or for the hawl to complete on it, out of fear that it has become due on me, I pay zakat from the lentils, which amounts to much more than the zakat on the wealth if my wealth increases; is the zakat compensated for by the lentils—for example—instead of the zakat on the wealth?
The Shaykh: No, it is obligatory for you to pay the zakat from the very item itself; that is, it is obligatory for you to pay the zakat of gold in gold, silver in silver, sheep in sheep, and cattle in cattle, unless the poor person chooses to sell his charity, in which case he sells it to someone other than you. As for you, you must pay from the very item subject to zakat. This method is not a valid discharge; that is, you want to pay merchandise in place of money.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh: This is your question in brief.
The questioner: Even if it is more, I mean.
The Shaykh: Even if it is more.
Source
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